Iola City Council members came under withering criticism Monday night for their recent decision to fire City Administrator Judy Brigham just weeks before her retirement.
Among the critics speaking at Monday’s council meeting were former Mayor John McRae, who called the firing “cruel,” “unchristian” and “unforgiveable.”
McRae and other supporters of Brigham spoke in front of a capacity crowd in the New Community Building at Riverside Park. All but one spoke in support of Brigham. Most urged the council to reconsider its decision.
Council members voted 6-1 on Aug. 30, for Brigham’s immediate termination. Had she not been fired, Brigham’s last day would have been on Friday.
Council members have given no public reason for her ouster, although Councilman Jim Kilby — a one-time defender of Brigham’s — told the Register the city’s budget process was the catalyst behind their move.
Brigham has estimated the early termination could cost her as much as $40,000 in lost sick leave pay, lost participation in the city’s health insurance plan and a smaller pension through the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System.
McRae said he had worked with Brigham for 12 years as mayor and that she had never intentionally misled him.
“Had she stolen from the city, I would have gladly opened the door to the police car,” McRae said. “But she did not.
“I can’t imagine what it is you know, or think you know, that merited this, because it’s one of the cruelest, most unchristian, unforgiveable things that I’ve ever heard a city council do to an employee,” he said.
Former City Commissioner Bob Hawk pointed to Brigham’s role in the city’s recovery from the 2007 flood.
“I assure you, had it not been for her ability to work with FEMA and work with the state and with other disaster response people, we would not have come out nearly as well as we did,” Hawk said.
He implored the council to announce publicly the reason for the firing.
“If there was something that was so bad that she needed to be terminated, unless it’s under the advice of your city attorney, then I think it ought to come out in the open,” Hawk continued. “If there isn’t, I think she needs her job back.”
Iolans Donna and Ray Houser also spoke in Brigham’s favor.
“Your rash actions, without seeming justification, sends a message to young professionals,” Donna Houser said, “that this is not a place for people to consider living. This is not a place for forward thinkers.
“Iola is ashamed,” she said, fighting to hold back tears. “I am ashamed, and I am embarrassed.”
Ray Houser, meanwhile, said Brigham’s firing “smacks of mean-spirited cronyism.”
“Please revisit the decision that you made and try to set things as right as you can,” he said. “And maybe, just maybe, you will restore my faith in government.”
Iolan Holly Slawkowski was a bit more blunt, urging the entire council to resign.
Jim West, retired gas, water and wastewater employee, recalled Brigham’s role in 2000, then as city clerk, in noting the city had been overcharged for natural gas from Williams Pipeline.
A faulty meter along gas lines near the city’s water plant was the culprit, a matter that had gone unnoticed until Brigham realized the gas fund was losing money.
“Long story short, Williams Pipeline paid the city back $300,000,” West said. “If there had been anybody else as city clerk, we probably would never have gotten that money back.”
Barbara Chalker Anderson, former Iola Area Chamber of Commerce director now with the Kansas Department of Commerce, spoke about visiting with folks from other communities, and how talk usually focused on Iola’s “fine streets,” curbs and guttering, attractive downtown and friendly people.
That talk has been supplanted by Brigham’s firing, she said.
“I wish you would tell us all the horrible, terrible things Judy did so that we can have answers,” Chalker Anderson said. “Everywhere I go now, I get questions about ‘what’s going in Iola?’ and I find that sad.”
Chalker Anderson recounted her role as an advocate for an eight-member city council to replace a three-member city commission, which occurred after Iola voters opted last November for the larger governing body.
“I was all about the big council,” she said. “I fought for it and I fought hard. But for the past few weeks, I’m not sure I made the right decision. I hate that I’m having to second guess what we all thought was going to be a good thing.”
There was one in attendance, Iolan Larry Walden, who applauded the city’s decision. He thanked the council members.
“You made a tough decision,” Walden said. “I really respect what you did.”
COUNCILMAN Don Becker, the only one who voted against Brigham’s firing Aug. 30, said he was “more confident than ever in my decision.”
Becker proposed the city rehire Brigham, through Sunday, to allow her to collect her full retirement benefits and retain access to the city’s health insurance plan. He also proposed the city pay whatever expenses Brigham has incurred and that the council apologize for its “abrupt” action.
His proposal was seconded by Councilman Joel Wicoff. Those two, however, were the only ones to vote to rehire Brigham. Wicoff, it should be noted, was absent from the council’s Aug. 30 meeting.
The vote preceded a two-hour executive session, in which Brigham visited privately with council members as part of her official grievance, protesting the firing.
Mayor Bill Shirley said the council has 10 days to formally respond.
City Council feels fallout from firing
